For we must needs die, and perish as water spilt on the ground which cannot be gathered up again: and God will not take away the life, but find the means that the banished be not utterly expelled from him.

And the king shall hear his handmaid and deliver her out of the hand of the man that would have destroyed me and my son also out of the inheritance of God.'

Then thine handmaid said, 'I pray God that the word of my lord the king may be immutable. For my lord the king is as an angel of God, in hearing of good or bad.' And therefore the LORD thy God be with thee."

And the turning of my tale another way, that made thy servant Joab. And so I see that my lord is wise, even as an angel of God, to understand all things that are in the earth."

And Absalom said to Joab, "Behold, I sent for thee desiring thee to come; because I would have sent thee to the king, for to say wherefore I am come from Geshur. It had been as good for me to have bidden there still. Now therefore let me come to the king's presence, or else if there be any trespass in me, kill me."

After this Absalom gat him chariots and horses and fifty men to run before him.

And thereto he used to rise up early in the mornings and to stand by the wayside that led to the gate of the city. And all the men of Israel that had complaints and came to the king for judgment, he called unto him, and said, "Of what city art thou?" And when the other answered, "thy servant is of such a tribe of Israel,"

then said Absalom unto him, "See, thy matter is good and righteous, and yet no man is deputed of the king to hear thee."

And behold, Zadok and all the Levites were with him and bare the ark of the covenant of God. And when they had fetched down the Ark of God, Abiathar came up, until the people were all come over, out of the city.

Then said the king unto Zadok, "Carry the Ark of God again into the city. If I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and show me both it and the tabernacle thereof also.

And so Zadok and Abiathar carried the Ark of God again to Jerusalem, and they tarried there.

When David was come to the top of the mount and had bowed himself unto God: behold, Hushai the Archite came against him with his coat torn and earth upon his head.

And so Hushai, David's friend, gat him to the city. And Absalom also entered into Jerusalem.

Haply, the LORD will look on my wretchedness, and do me good for his cursing this day."

And as soon as he was come, Hushai the Archite went unto Absalom and said unto him, "God save the king, God save the king."

And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, "Get thee in unto thy father's concubines which he hath left to keep the house. For when all Israel shall hear that thou hast made thy father to stink, then shall the hands of all that are with thee be strong."

And the counsel of Ahithophel which he counseled in those days, was as a man had asked counsel of God: even so was all the counsel of Ahithophel, both unto David and also unto Absalom.

Then said Hushai to Absalom, "The counsel that Ahithophel hath given is not good at this time.

And Absalom and all the men of Israel said that the counsel of Hushai the Archite was better than the counsel of Ahithophel - For it was even the LORD's determination to destroy the counsel of Ahithophel, which was good, that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom.

Now therefore send quickly and show David, saying, 'Tarry not all night in the fields of the wilderness, but get thee over, lest the king be devoured and all the people that are with him.'"

And as soon as they were departed, the other came out of the well, and went and told King David and said unto him, "Up, and get you quickly over the water for such counsel hath Ahithophel given."

And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass and arose and gat him home to his own house and to his own city, and put his household in order and hanged himself and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

Then said the king, "What seemeth you best, that will I do." And the king stood up by the Gate's side, and all the people came out by hundreds and by thousands.

And David sat between the two gates. And the watchman went up to the roof over the gate unto the wall, and lifted up his eyes and saw: and behold, there came a man running alone.

And the watchman said, "Me thinketh the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the son of Zadok." And the king said, "He is a good man and cometh with good tidings."

And Ahimaaz called and said to the king, "Good tidings," and bowed himself to the earth upon his face before the king and said, "Blessed be the LORD thy God which hath shut up all the men that lifted up their hands against my Lord the king."

And the king was moved and went up to a chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went thus he said, "My son Absalom, my son, my son, my son Absalom, would to God I had died for thee Absalom, my son, my son."

Then the king arose and sat down in the Gate. And it was told unto all the people, how the king sat in the Gate. And then all the people came before the king. But Israel fled every man to his tent.

And say to Amasa, 'Art thou not my bone and my flesh? And God do so to me and so thereto: except thou be captain of the host to me forever in the room of Joab.'"

And he hath thereto complained on thy servant unto my lord the king. But my lord the king is as an Angel of God: do therefore what seemeth best in thine eyes.

Wherefore the king said to Abishai, "Now shall Sheba the son of Bichri be worse to us than Absalom. Take thou therefore thy lord's servants and follow after him: lest he get him walled cities and escape us."

And Joab answered and said, "God forbid! God forbid it me, that I should either devour or destroy it.

and buried them with the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin, in Zela, in the sepulchre of Kish his father. And when they had performed all that the king commanded, God was then at one with the land.

God is my strength, and in him will I trust: my shield and the horn that defendeth me: mine high hold and refuge.

In my tribulation I called to the LORD, and cried to my God. And he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry entered into his ears.

For I kept the ways of the LORD, and did no wickedness, forsaking my God.

With thy help I will run through a host of men, and by the aid of my God will spring over a wall.

The way of God is undefiled, and the word of the LORD fined as gold, and he a shield to all that trust in him.

Who is a God save the LORD, and who mighty save our God?

God is my strength in war, and riddeth the way clear before me.

The LORD live, and blessed be he that is my strength: and exalted be God the strength that saveth me.

It is God that avengeth me, and bringeth down the people under me.

These be the last sayings of David. David the son of Jesse said: and the man which is lifted up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob and pleasant Psalmist of Israel said,

The God of Israel spake unto me, and the strength of Israel said, 'He that beareth rule over men, he that ruleth justly in the fear of God,

And is not mine house so with God? In that he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, perfect in all points. And in that he shall fulfill all that is healthsome unto me, and all my desires thereto;

And David longed and said, "Oh, that I had of the water that is in the well in the gate of Bethlehem for to drink."

And anon the three mighty brake through the Host of the Philistines and fetched water out of the well of Bethlehem that was in the gate, and took and brought it to David: Nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but offered it unto the LORD

And Joab said unto the king, "I beseech that the LORD thy God make the people as many more as they be: yea and a hundred times so many more, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see them. But how is it that my lord the king hath a lust in this thing?"

And they passed over Jordan and pitched in Aroer on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the valley of Gad and so forth to Jazer.

And when David was up in a morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

And Gad came to David and showed him and said unto him, "Whether wilt thou have seven years hunger in thy land, or that thou flee three months before thine enemies and they following thee, or that there be three days pestilence in thy land? Now understand, and see what word I shall bring again to him that sent me."

Then said David unto Gad, "I am in a marvelous strait. But let me fall I pray thee, into the hands of the LORD, for much is his mercy, and let me not fall into the hands of men.

And Gad came the same day to David and said unto him, "Go up and rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."

And David according to the saying of Gad went up as the LORD commanded.

And Araunah said unto the king, "Let my lord the king take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes: Behold, oxen for sacrifice, and sleds and the other instruments of the oxen for wood."

And Araunah the king's friend gave all to the king, and said moreover unto the king, "The LORD thy God accept thee."

But the king said unto Araunah, "Not so, but I will buy it of thee at a price, and will not offer sacrifice unto the LORD my God that shall cost me nought." And so David bought the threshing floor, and the oxen for fifty sicles of silver.

Wherefore his servants said unto him, "Let there be sought for my lord the king a young maiden to wait upon him and to cherish him. And let her lie in his bosom, that my lord the king may get heat."

But Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." And he gat him a chariot and horsemen and fifty men to run before him.

Go and get thee unto king David, and say unto him, 'Didst thou not, my lord king, sware unto thy handmaid saying: Solomon thy son shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my seat? Why, then, is Adonijah made king?'

And she answered and said, "My lord, thou hast sworn by the LORD thy God unto thine handmaid, 'Solomon thy son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my seat.'

For he is gone down this day and hath offered oxen, fatlings and sheep abundantly, and hath called all the king's sons and the captains of the host, and Abiathar the priest. And see, they eat and drink before him and say, 'God save king Adonijah.'

even as I sware unto thee by the LORD God of Israel, saying 'Solomon shall reign after me, and he shall sit upon my seat for me,' so will I do this day."

And Bathsheba bowed on her face to the earth and did obeisance unto the king, and said, "I pray God my lord king David may live ever."

And let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him there, to be king over Israel. And then blow ye with a trumpet and say, 'God save king Solomon.'

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, "Amen, and so I pray God that the LORD God of my lord the king say so too.

And as the LORD hath been with my lord the king, even so I pray God he may be with Solomon, and that he make his seat greater than the seat of my lord king David."

And Zadok the priest took a horn of oil out of the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew a trumpet, and they all said, "God save king Solomon!"

And as he yet spake, see, Jonathan the son of Abiathar the priest came. And Adonijah said, "Come, for thou art a lusty blood and bringest good tidings."

And moreover, the king's servants went in to bless our lord king David saying, 'Thy God make the name of Solomon more favoured than thine, and his seat more glorious than thine.' And the king bowed himself upon the bed.

And last of all thus said the king, 'Blessed be the LORD God of Israel which hath made one to sit on my seat this day, even mine eyes seeing it.'"

And thereupon king Solomon sent and fetched him down from the altar. And he came and did obeisance unto king Solomon. And Solomon said to him, "Get thee to thine house."

And see that thou keep the appointment of the LORD thy God, that thou walk in his ways and keep his commandments, ordinances, laws and testimonies, even as it is written in the law of Moses: that thou mayest understand all that thou oughtest to do, and all that thou shouldest meddle with.

That the LORD may make good his promise which he hath promised me, saying, 'If thy children shall take heed to their ways, that they walk before me in truth, with all their hearts and with all their souls; then thou shalt never be without one sitting on the seat of Israel.'

Then king Solomon sware by the LORD, saying, "God do so to me and so thereto if Adonijah have not spoken this word against himself.

And unto Abiathar the priest said the king, "Get thee to Anathoth unto thine own fields, for thou art worthy of death: but I will not at this time kill thee, because thou hast borne the Ark of the Lord Jehovah before David my father, and because thou sufferest with my father in all his afflictions."

And Shimei stood up and saddled his ass and gat him to Gath to Achish, to seek his servants, and came and brought them again from Gath.

And the king sent and called Shimei and said unto him, "Did I not adjure thee by the LORD, and testified unto thee saying, 'Be sure whensoever thou goest out and walkest abroad any whither, thou shalt die for it?' And thou answeredst me, 'It is good tidings that I have heard.'

And in Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night. And God said, "Ask what I shall give thee."

And now LORD, my God, it is thou that hast made thy servant king instead of David my father. And I am a young lad and know not how to order myself.

Give therefore unto thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, and to discern between good, and bad. For who is able to judge this, thy so weighty a people?"

Wherefore God said unto him, "Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked long life, neither hast asked riches, nor the lives of thine enemies, but hast asked the discretion to understand equity:

And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged and feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to do justice.

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much and a large heart, even as the sand along by the sea bank:

"Thou knowest of David my father, how he could not build a house unto the name of the LORD his God for war which he had on every side, until the LORD had put them under his foot.

But now the LORD my God hath given me rest on every side, so that there is neither adversary nor any evil plague.

And therefore I am disposed to build a house unto the name of the LORD my God, as he promised David my father, saying, 'Thy son which I will put upon thy seat for thee, he shall build a house unto my name.'

"Concerning the house which thou art in building: if thou wilt walk in mine ordinances and execute my laws and keep all my commandments, to walk in them; then will I make good unto thee my promises which I promised David thy father.

And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath fulfilled with his hand, that he spake with his mouth unto David my father, saying,

And it was in the heart of David my father, to build a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

But the LORD God said unto David my father, 'In that it was in thine heart to build a house for my name, thou didst well, that thou wast so minded.

And the LORD hath made good his word that he spake. For I stood up in the room of David my father, and sat on the seat of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built a house for the name of the LORD God of Israel.

and said, "LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in heaven above or in the earth beneath, that keepest appointment and mercy with thy servants that walk before thee with all their hearts:

And now LORD God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father, that thou promisedest him, saying, 'Thou shalt not be without one or other before me, sitting on the seat of Israel: Howbeit, if thy children shall take heed to their ways that they walk before me, as thou hast walked before me.'

Now then, O Lord God of Israel, let thy word be stable which thou spakest unto thy servant David my father.

But indeed can God dwell on the earth? Behold: neither heaven, nor heaven above all heavens are able to contain thee - how much less then this house that I have built?

But look to the prayer of thy servant and his supplication, O LORD my God, to give an ear unto the voice and prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee this day,

then hear thou up to heaven, and be merciful unto the sin of thy servants and of thy people Israel, that thou show them a good way to walk in, and give rain upon thy land that thou hast given unto thy people to inherit.

and be merciful unto thy people that have sinned against thee, and unto all their trespass that they have trespassed against thee, and get them favour in the sight of them that hold them captive that they may have compassion on them.

"Blessed be the LORD that hath given rest unto his people Israel according to all that he promised: so that there is not one word escaped of all the good promises which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.